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Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Past GT essay - There are more and more old people in many parts of the world. What are the causes of this and what are the solutions.

Demographic trends suggest that today we belong to a graying society. This essay shall delve into the reasons of this phenomenon and also suggest some ways to deal with this situation.

The main reason for the increased life expectancy of people is the development in health care. Years ago, people died young because of simple things such as an infection or a virus. Now we have antibiotics and other medicines to help cure infections. Many incurable cancers and diseases such as tuberculosis are now completely curable. Due to technological advancements, many diseases such as breast and uterine cancer can be diagnosed so early that the evil can be nipped in the bud. What is more, advances in surgical techniques have made miracles happen. Transplant surgeries have increased the life of many.

Another reason of people living longer is that there is better access to health care. Earlier if a person suffered a heart attack or a stroke, a lot of harm was done before he could reach the nearest super-specialty hospital. Now faster modes of transport and the mushroom growth of such hospitals provide timely treatment. To add to it, people can now get consultation from any doctor in any part of the world because digital x-rays, MRIs and CT scans are there which can be sent to any part of the world at the click of a mouse.

A final reason for this is that there is more personal awareness. The quality of nutrition has also improved. People eat mare healthfully than they used to. It is now common knowledge that eating low fat food can prevent heart disease, and we know that eating fruits and vegetables can prevent cancers. Now people have begun to realize the importance of exercise. Walking, yoga and gym culture has become very popular not only among the youth but also by the octogenarians and centenarians of our society.

These demographic changes are the reality of today. There is no going back. A lot of planning is needed at the individual level and at the government level to meet the challenges of old age. Governments have to provide special privileges to the elderly so that the elderly don’t face any problems and at the individual level people should plan their retired life nicely so that they lead a happy life. For whatever reason people are living longer, what is important is that living longer is one thing and living healthier and productive lives is another.

To sum up, I pen down saying that people are living longer because of many reasons and many steps can be taken to face the challenges of this demographic trend.